M2 June 2018 - LATEST ISSUE!
Your Reputation Precedes You
What is reputation to your business? It’s your lifeblood! In the modern digital world of Yelp reviews, movie critics and 5-star Uber ratings, managing your reputation and public image are more important than ever. They can take decades to build and only take seconds to destroy or in the digital world, one click or one...
The Best Reds
Throughout the year we are lucky enough to sample some incredible wines. It is always the best of these wines that we feature in our pages and while we don’t feature every wine we get sent, we are always overwhelmed at the calibre of wines that keep coming through the M2 doors. There are, however,...
How To Attract & Keep The Best Employees
While business and consumer confidence remains optimistic, there are storm clouds on the horizon for many employers including Adecco: attracting future employees in a tight labour market and more importantly retaining existing high performing, experienced team members. Money doesn’t always mean happiness and loyalty. Now, many reading this would argue it goes a long way...
What? Bowers & Wilkins Noise Cancelling Headphones
Don’t you just want to shut out the noisy world sometimes? Just popping on a pair of headphones seems like the only escape. Introducing the greatest innovation of noise-cancelling headphones on the market to date. Bowers & Wilkins has always been the top of the range when it comes to head pieces you can listen...
M2 Style - Powered by BOSS
Mansur Graviel – Accessory Elegance
Mansur Gavriel, founded by Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel in 2012, quickly escalated to cult favourite status in the accessories sphere. The understated, minimalist brand has come to rescue men from their bulky, grisly bags by expanding its range to include men’s eleven accessories. The impeccable quality of the New York City designed, Veneto, Italy […]
Rimowa x Off-White
Rimowa, a luxury luggage brand that LVMH has an 80% stake in, is collaborating with high-end streetwear brand, Off-White, in anticipation of its 120th anniversary. “The original luggage with the grooves,” has previously collaborated with other next-generation streetwear brands such as Supreme and Anti Social Social Club as well as fashion houses such as Fendi. […]
Man’s Best Friend?
A “Man’s Best Friend” should provide a straightforward and effortless way to take care of your skin right? Bulldog Skincare is Man-Made for Men. The British brand was created and launched in 2007 by Simon Duffy and is now sold in 15 countries around the world. The word ‘simple’ perfectly encapsulates the philosophy of the […]
Nike x Kim Jones
Ahead of the start of the FIFA World Cup, Kim Jones, former style director of Louis Vuitton and current artistic director of Dior Homme, has collaborated with Nike to create “Football Reimagined”. This is the second current collaboration that Nike is delivering with a designer that has heavy streetwear influences, the other of which is […]
PEAK PERFORMANCE
Winning Formula With Brendon Hartley
New Zealand boasts a rich history of names in the realm of motorsport – Chris Amon, Bruce McLaren, Possom Bourne, Greg Murphy, Scott Dixon and Mitch Evans are just a selection of names in the NZ motorsport pantheon. While Kiwi drivers have had success across a variety of motorsport competitions and rulesets, there is one...
Sand, Surf And Success
As a child, Matt-Lewis Hewitt had always been drawn towards sports that required discipline, teamwork and structured routine. Sports like rugby, swimming, surf lifesaving, water polo and, especially, surfing. Starting at 14 years old, it took Hewitt just 18 months before he was competing professionally in surfing. The young prodigy was headed for success, no...
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Gentle Art
My first sparring session (or ‘roll’, as its known colloquially) was an education into how vulnerable we are. It’s comparable to being thrown into a pool without knowing how to swim, or trying to control a boa constrictor. I remember being absolutely manhandled. Using pressure and techniques completely foreign to me, I was dissected in...
Going For Gold – David Bishop
Ex-engineering student, sport fanatic and skilled gymnast, David Bishop is a perfect example of someone who emulates the good ol’ Kiwi spirit. He has a can-do attitude, that lovable personality and the type of ability any sportsman would love to encompass. He is a medal-winning gymnast, fitness coach, and with some big competitions coming up,...
Health
Cave Man: The Paleo Diet
My good mate Crog is on a Paleo diet. He wants to ‘turn the big stone wheel’ one day. He scavenges fruit and nuts from the bushes surrounding his cave. Think The Flintstones and you’ve got yourself a Crog. The menu for Crog and his Paleo mates are: vegetables, meat of grass-fed animals, nuts, fish,...
Health News – August 2017
New Balance New Balance is bridging the gap between performance and lifestyle shoes with their latest release, the 574 Sport. Known for their classic running style, New Balance is injecting their widely recognised running style into a shoe that is sporty, yet sleek – in other words a shoe you can wear to the gym...
Healthy Heart?
Or Is Your Heart At Risk? It creeps into your life slowly when you least expect it – silent and sometimes deadly. You might be at your son’s swimming class cheering him on or you might be out with your friends enjoying a beer and watching the game. You might feel a sudden shortness of...
Health News, September 2017
CHOCOLATE Scientifically proven to be healthy A meta-analysis from Brown University has found a host of health effects from eating chocolate that stop the onset of scary words like “dyslipidemia”, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation which are apparently all major subclinical risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases. If you can say that sentence off the top...
Man on the Street
Man On The Street – Justin Haiu
Age: 37 Occupation: Entertainer/Theatre Practitioner What’s your morning routine? The alarm goes off, I take a moment to be inspired by the world, then I think about the day ahead. I sneak out of the room (as not to wake my wife and baby daughter), I get my son up and get him ready for...
Man On The Street – Zain Edinberry
Age: 24 Occupation: Architectural Technician What’s your morning routine? Wake up, go to the gym. Head to work and drink enough coffee to keep me going for the rest of the day. What’s the top three things on your bucket list? See the sunrise in a hot air balloon. Scubadive in the deep sea. Design...
Man On The Street – Robert Hughes
Age: 33 Occupation: Head of Supply Chain at My Food Bag What’s your morning routine? Hit “snooze” once (or twice), feed the dog then shower and off to work. What are the top three things on your bucket list? Swim with Sharks (without a cage) which im doing in Hawaii in September. Kayak with Orca in...
Man On The Street – Henry Beasley
When your life is full of writing, acting, producing AND being the lead singer of a band, you’re bound to have something interesting to say. Henry Beasley takes a few minutes with M2 to discuss life, success and motivation in this edition of Man On The Street: Age: 24 Occupation: Writer, actor, producer and...
Wild
Surgeons of the Sea
Free Willy vs Jaws… who wins? Hollywood has altered our expectations about how this sort of apex predator duel would go down. Unless you spend more time watching documentaries than old movies on VHS, then the answer isn’t so clear. The biggest great white sharks can measure six metres long, weigh more than 2200 kilograms...
Walk on the Wild Side
Expressionist American photographer, Aaron Siskind once said: ‘Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever…’ We bring you the iconic shots from The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017, developed and produced by the National History Museum, London. Capturing the most magical parts of...
11 Deadliest Animals on the Planet, And How to Survive Them
The animal kingdom is a strange and wonderful place. From architects to mimes, assassins to philanderers, each animal has its own niche, a role and place. While we regularly encounter cats, dogs, birds and bugs, our chances of seeing dangerous animals are usually limited to visiting the zoo or watching The Discovery Channel. But while...
Behind The Lens: Open Ocean
The thought of delving into the deep and getting face-to-face with some of the world’s biggest and deadliest beasts is not something everyone can face. But it is a different story for underwater videographer and adrenaline junkie, Steve Hathaway. Fascinated about life under the surface, M2 dove straight in when the opportunity arose to talk...
Snow
New Zealand Snow Guide 2017
With a cold blast hitting much of New Zealand earlier than expected, ski fields the length of the country have been able to open with bonus time to spare. Seasoned snow bunnies know their spots on both islands, but for those looking to venture out and experience new terrain and thrills, where do you go...
Climbing The Podium: Kiwis at the Winter Paralympics
The Winter Games, both Olympic and Paralympic, usually pass with minimal mention down under, but in the case of the compact Kiwi Paralympian team heading to South Korea this March, there’s reason to take notice. For a global event that is heavily dominated by northern hemisphere athletes, New Zealand participants more than hold their own....
STEF ZEESTRATEN: HALFPIPE HEDONIST
From one of the flattest countries in the world, to the sharp ascents of the Southern Alps, Dutch-born Stef Zeestraten has, as is his wont, carved a name for himself in New Zealand snowboarding folklore. Throughout his 17-year competitive career that saw him peak at 47th in the world in 2008, Zeestraten has followed the serious...
The Mazda SKI-ACTIV Experience
I vividly remember the first time I actually put skis on and hit (quite literally) the snow. I was in my late teens and full of bravado; I headed to the top of the chairlift, strapped on two planks of wood and shot down the slope – straight into a tree. The sensation was both...
Leadership
Industry In Site
Over the past few years, we have seen a huge jump in the level of innovation, experience and concepts within the hospitality industry in this part of the world. No longer do we have to jump on a plane to get unique and exciting hospitality experiences. We are creating world-class cafes, restaurants, hotels and developments...
Impact From Simplicity
In a world of exponential innovation, disruptive technologies and giddy cryptocurrency speculation a discussion about another KiwiSaver fund might seem a little vanilla. But after a few minutes with Simplicity founder, Sam Stubbs even the most finically unfocused would be hard pressed not to find excitement in compounded interest from saved fees, the growth of...
Building An Icon – Sir George Fistonich
Drinks International has for the fourth year in a row named Villa Maria as one of the most admired wine brands in the world and the highest ranking New Zealand winery in this year’s “World’s Most Admired Wine Brands” list. And while Villa Maria has become an icon in the New Zealand wine industry and...
Richard Branson’s 75 Close Shaves
Unwavering, relentless persistence, those are the words I would use to describe Richard Branson. He’s built a global brand and personal lifestyle, from scratch that fascinates us with its continuous momentum, near misses and massive achievements. How many international entrepreneurs would be working deals and businesses in massive markets like the UK, the USA, Europe,...
Gadgets
Robotic Pillow
If an average night’s sleep is equivalent to eight hours, then you spend a third of your life asleep. Gee whiz. So why not amp up the quality of sleep to increase the quality of your waking moments? Counting sheep, tossing and turning, intrusive thoughts are part of the pursuit of the land of nod,...
Gear Up: The Morning Routine With Shaun Johnson
When Samsung shoulder tapped Shaun Johnson as their new ambassador for the Gear S3 Frontier connected smartwatch, they saw the opportunity to show people just how versatile this smartwatch could be. Gear Up With Shaun Johnson We followed League Legend Shaun Johnson around for the day, check it out! Samsung Posted by M2 Magazine New...
Fool Proof Gadget Guide
It’s that time of year again, can you believe it? Christmas has a way of just appearing out of nowhere, even though we have an entire 12 months to prepare for it! The thing that gets me the most, however, is the question that starts popping up around about this time of year… “Hey honey,...
The View From Above
Everyone bar none knows about NASA. The American space juggernaut has been around since the late 1950s and was responsible for the first manned mission to the moon. That said, the organisation has an almost mythical feel to it from here in New Zealand. We see the news about the missions, astronauts and even watch...
Mandate
Polling the Nation
We took to social media for your opinions on these hot topics PETA Campaign comes from left field A PETA campaign featuring Alicia Silverstone puts shearing sheep into the spotlight for being what they think is unethical. “This is quite frankly ridiculous and another predictable example of what PETA resort to when they seek attention...
Auckland’s Changing Skyline
A new apartment tower is set to fill a gap in Auckland’s housing market and change its skyline with a new landmark feature. The Pacifica is going up – sky high. It is well known that New Zealand is in the midst of a housing shortage, no city more so than Auckland. As people flock...
STEF ZEESTRATEN: HALFPIPE HEDONIST
From one of the flattest countries in the world, to the sharp ascents of the Southern Alps, Dutch-born Stef Zeestraten has, as is his wont, carved a name for himself in New Zealand snowboarding folklore. Throughout his 17-year competitive career that saw him peak at 47th in the world in 2008, Zeestraten has followed the serious...
Films To See This March
Death Of Stalin In cinemas March 15 Steve Buscemi (Pulp Fiction, Boardwalk Empire) stars in this political satire as Nikita Khrushchev, dealing with the instability of the Soviet Union in the wake of Joseph Stalin’s death. Beautifully shot, and sprinkled with humorous nuances, the film ended up being banned in Russia and several CIS states...
Design
The Electric Future – Tesla Stem
Bruce Wayne, Tony Stark – they don’t exist. Sorry folks. We do have Elon Musk, however. And, quite frankly, that’ll do. Whether he has his sights set to the stars with SpaceX, disrupting the automotive world with Tesla or providing powerwalls to a broken Puerto Rico, Musk is doing this whole billionaire philanthropist thing quite...
The Boaties Dream – Natural Selection
Have you got a couple $100 million spare change handy? Perhaps you’re an aspiring Bond villain? Or maybe you’ve been implicated in the Panama Papers? Well, you’re in luck – Netherlands-based yacht design company Sinot’s latest concept design, Nature is a vessel ripped straight out of a Putin daydream. It’s called Nature for a reason;...
Amazon Goes Green Spheres
Kindle, Amazon Web Services, Amazon Prime, Amazon Go, Alexa. Amazon are ever the innovators and that’s not even considering the behemoth that is their online shopping platform. And, with CEO Jeff Bezos firmly set as the richest person on the planet with a net worth of $120.5 billion (USD), Amazon have decided to celebrate their...
The World’s Coolest Offices
Sometimes working 9-5 in that bland, box-shaped office can get you down. Maybe what you need is a waterslide, or a giant shipwreck in the auditorium, or a nuclear bunker? Bahnoff Sweden The Swedish internet provider, founded in 1994 by Oscar Swartz, is a key service, that’s for sure…but wait until you’ve seen their office....
Deep Dives
The Modern Day Space Race
The solar system we occupy is a fascinating place, that’s for certain – nine planets that glow as beacons and an uncountable infinity of stars. Beginning in the late 1950s, a race pitted capitalist America against communist Soviet Union to see who was superior with their space technology. The Soviets took the lead by launching...
Who Is Using Your Data?
Zuckerberg: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard Just ask. I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS [Redacted Friend’s Name]: What? How’d you manage that one? Zuckerberg: People just submitted it. I don’t know why. They “trust me”. Zuckerberg: Dumb f**ks. This was an ironically leaked series of messages between...
All Hail Our Secret Government
It’s a golden time for lobbyists at the moment. We’ve just had a change in government and that means it’s time for everything to change, come what may. Duh, it has to – as the last guys obviously got every single thing wrong! But there’s a slight problem in that, aside from a couple of...
The Fight For Gender Diversity – An Ad Man’s POV
So, a high-powered panel of female leaders featuring Theresa Gattung, Justine Smyth, Tracey Cross, Naomi Ballantyne and Linda Meade were at the M2woman Journey to Excellence forum recently. I think it’s fair to say that the gist of their forum was; “we want moregender equality in the workplace! Now, dammit! Now!” Huh? Is this really...
Cover Stories
This Is Donald Glover
Humans are hardwired to categorise, and fair enough – we use it to understand and simplify the barrage of information around us. The problem with that is when we get overly finicky with the minutiae of what is and isn’t hip-hop or when we nitpick the different subsets of an “artist”, that’s the moment we...
Chris Pine, A Lead Team Player
Chris Pine is the classic ladies man, designed in a lab somewhere as a weaponised human being with the set purpose of breaking hearts wherever he goes. Born in Los Angeles to Robert Pine and Gwynne Gilford, both of whom who are actors (Robert was a CHiPs co-star). It seems natural in hindsight that the...
Matt Smith – The Fresh Prince
Time Lord or Prince Charming? Take your pick, but rising star Matt Smith can lay claim to both. The rising style icon, ex-Doctor Who, and now Prince Philip, in Netflix blockbuster The Crown, is beginning to carve out his own kingdom – one role at a time. The divine right of kings is a religious...
COVER STORY – Michael Fassbender
It’s 1979, and a two-year-old Michael Fassbender is moving with his family from Heidelberg in Germany to Ireland. Just across the Irish Sea, principle photography at a London studio had just been finished and the world was being introduced to the horror of Ridley Scott’s Alien, a franchise that would set the bar in sci-fi...
Success
Industry In Site
Over the past few years, we have seen a huge jump in the level of innovation, experience and concepts within the hospitality industry in this part of the world. No longer do we have to jump on a plane to get unique and exciting hospitality experiences. We are creating world-class cafes, restaurants, hotels and developments...
Best Things Ever Said
The best things in life are on the other side of terror. Will Smith Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again. Richard Branson When was the last time you did what you learnt from your mistakes? Quincy Jones A brand for a company is like a reputation for a...
Best Things Ever Said
Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. Henry Ford I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that...
Marketing – The Necessary Evil
Marketing is often referred to as a necessary evil in many businesses. In a world that’s over-saturated with choice, information and contradicting advice, it can often be overwhelming. With no one tried and tested successful formula that can be blanketed to every industry, it is also frustrating for both the client and marketing agency trying...
Amazing Photos
The Next Revolution
The next revolution in photography has landed as the Sony World Photography Awards, an annual competition held by the World Photography Organization. A stunning celebration of capturing life’s most precious moments with just one click. On its 11th year (and counting), the awards are back and bigger than ever. Over 320,000 entries were considered last...
Long Live The Silver Screen
Think about the magic and excitement of driving up to a local parking lot, ready to watch the latest feature film in the comfort of your own car. The light from the projector beams a dancing stream of images onto the giant screen ahead, while kids laugh and play beneath the screen. American-based photographer Lindsey...
Walk on the Wild Side
Expressionist American photographer, Aaron Siskind once said: ‘Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever…’ We bring you the iconic shots from The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017, developed and produced by the National History Museum, London. Capturing the most magical parts of...
Rebuilding a Nation
It was 2.45pm on March 11, 2011; everything was normal for Japan’s 127 million residences. It was one of the first days of spring and the air was still crisp, and there was no real hint of the chilling events about to strike the nation. The 9.0 magnitude quake hit at 2.46pm JST, and it...
Sport
The Monthly Sports Agenda – August 2017
MAYWEATHER V MCGREGOR Not many of us wouldn’t get in the ring with Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather for a reported $180 million US and loudmouth Irishman Conor McGregor has the chance to make some dubious history. The fight between the undefeated Mayweather and the UFC drawcard is set to break all sorts of commercial records and...
NBA Finals Come To The Pointy End
It’s gearing up again to be another chapter in an ESPN mistyeyed documentary but it’s likely LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers will be up against the star laden Golden State Warriors for the fourth straight year. This is the dynasty effect that is almost exclusive to the NBA that has scores of rivalries dating...
Hayden Paddon, Gravel Guru
A generation after the world-beating deeds of the late Possum Bourne, rally star Hayden Paddon has once again put Kiwi drivers on the map. The Hyundai driver has become a fixture on the world’s loose roads for the past four years and has been supremely competitive when all the stars align. In such a condensed...
Sports News: May 2018
The One To Watch Wyatt Crockett Longevity the Maketh of a Legend If he plays every game leading up to the Eden Park clash with the Blues, Wyatt Crockett will become the first player to reach 200 Super Rugby games. And, with his track record it’s not hard to imagine he’ll play a part in...
Bucket List Experiences
Beretta At Bracu
Situated on the Simunovich Olive Estate at the foot of the Bombay Hills, Bracu is a fascinating blend of old world heritage, cutting edge creativity, a large-scale olive operation and intimate dining… oh, and some knife throwing. Founded in 1999 by the Simonivich family, and known today as one of the largest privately owned olive...
Destination Du Jour
It’s that time of year when you are in-between tropical holidays and in desperate need to get out of the city, even just for the weekend. While it is winter, New Zealand has some pretty incredible destinations to escape to, and recharge and re-energise yourself to get through the last few cold months of the...
4 of the Most Off- Limit Places On Earth
We have plenty of lists of places you absolutely must visit. But there are also plenty of places on earth you absolutely can’t ever visit, unless you’re one of the privileged few researchers or techheads. NORWEGIAN SEED VAULT 4 Places You'll Never Be Able To Visit These are the most mysterious and off limit places...
Views From The Top
A beautiful image of a polar bear leaping across a stream of crystal-clear blue water. A gathering of squalling seagulls above a passing boat. A birds-eye view of a basketball game. These are the winning photos of last year’s SkyPixel’s Best Aerial Photos award. Sometimes, a photo is more than just a photo. Sometimes, it...
Man Made
Simple Pleasures – The new CX-5 Launch
Let’s face it, modern everyday life can be pretty busy. Between the necessity of work and the demands that come with family and friends, there seems to be so much pressure to do things. Time appears to be going by so fast (even speeding up) and very little of it is spent metaphorically speaking ‘silently...
Top Cat – Jaguar F-PACE 25D R-Sport
As a kid, the coolest cat I remember was Top Cat or T.C to his close friends. Sporting a mauve pork pie hat and waistcoat, he and his gang of alley cats (Benny the Ball, Choo-Choo, Brain, Fancy Fancy and Spook), ruled Manhattan from their home base in Hoagy’s Alley, pulling high-jinx and tormenting Officer...
Wheels News – January 2018
Bringing you the ‘Shining Stars’ we discovered at the LA Auto Show. Mazda6 More style & more oomph The Mazda6 is the flagship of Mazda’s passenger car line-up and its improved styling looks to add greater maturity and composure to this popular sedan. With a refreshed exterior and a new high-grade interior that features Japanese...
Wheels News – Our pick of what’s hot, fun and quite simply bizarre.
Range Rover Velar New Range Rover Velar, showcasing the next chapter in Range Rover design DNA. Progressive design, refined finishing and exceptional driving capabilities. Mercedes-Benz The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE is a high-performance hybrid said to produce over 1000hp and reach top speeds beyond 350km/h. The show car combines outstanding race track performance and day-to-day-suitable Formula 1...
Entertainment
The Author To Know: David Lagercrantz
Best-selling author of I am Zlatan Ibrahimovic and 11 other well-known titles, Lagercrantz is a man who wears numerous hats. One moment he is a journalist, the next he is a biographer, the next a ghost-writer, then a novelist. A man of sheer talent and verve. Born in Solna in 1962 to Olof Lagercrantz (a...
New Money
Hitting Neon’s platform on June 28 is the hit show Billions. A complex drama which dives deep into the high-flying world of finance by colliding two titanic figures – the hard charging, whip-smart U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti), and the brilliant, ambitious hedge fund king, Bobby “Axe” Axelrod (Damian Lewis). Weaving an intricate web...
Super Mario Odyssey Review
For the last 20 years every time I start to play a new Mario game I always tell myself this is too cutesy for me…. I’ve moved to bigger and better gaming…. I need more grit in my games like Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto……. then 8 hours later my controller’s battery has...
A Tribute to the Man From Saint Who Would be Sir
Recently Sir Roger Moore, Bond star and UNICEF Ambassador, passed away after a short fight with cancer. His family left a letter stating: “The love with which he was surrounded in his final days was so great it cannot be quantified in words alone.” The message continued: “We know our own love and admiration will...
Food
The Burger Battle
Each week seems to bring another burger joint opening, but hey, we’re not complaining. But with each new opening comes a new concept, so which fusion, style or flavour do you pick? Better Burger These guys seem to be taking on the city, with the recent opening of their Sylvia Park store showing they have...
Destination Du Jour – Luxury With An Alibi
We all love a luxury dining experience, one filled with a chic interior, outstanding aesthetic and a complete sensory experience. Alibi restaurant delivers this and more, as Australia’s first ever 100% fully plant-based restaurant. Australia’s first ever 100 percent fully plant-based restaurant, Alibi, opened this March. Located in the Sydney suburb of Woolloomooloo, on the...
Recipe: Butter Infused With All Natural Ingredients
When it comes to summer food there is one thing many of us look forward to all year – BBQs. Perfectly cooked steak, fresh prawns and locally caught fish with summer salads and perla potatoes. It’s a summer tradition, really! Award-winning chef Owen Sinclair has created a must-have for your next BBQ with Flavour Fiend...
Hummingbird Coffee
Roasting coffee since 1990, Hummingbird Coffee is what you seriously need first thing in the morning. Sourcing the best coffee beans from around the world has always been Hummingbird’s philosophy, and they’ve certainly made a name for themselves around the coffee circuit. Based in Addington, Christchurch, the company thrives on freshlymade organic produce from around...
Wine
Rock Star Reds
Over the winter months we have covered some of the most outstanding reds from our part of the world. We’ve brought you a selection of some of the best we have tried with ‘bites’ of information that you can share when you bring these wines out at the next occasion. This is the last of...
Pinot Noir Game Changers
The Pinot Noir grape hails from Burgundy in France. While their origins are in France you’ll find that our New Zealand Pinot Noirs are quite unique. It is this uniqueness that has our wine producers looking to Pinot Noir to being the next big export success – on the back of their outstanding success with...
Winter Warmers… More Great Wines to Bring to a Dinner Party
Warm up your winter evenings around a good drop of red. It’s a great time of year for dinner parties. Time to get light the fire, light the candles, relax and enjoy one another’s company over a nice roast and a good bottle of red. The challenge is to choose the right wine for the...
Coach Your Way To Success
How to Drive Smart Business Decisions Using Data
Increasingly, company leaders are looking to data to inform and guide business decisions. These cold hard facts, when leveraged accurately, help us improve the bottom line while introducing products and features our customers actually want. But just collecting data doesn’t necessarily add value to a business. You must understand what data you are gathering, how...
Understand your 10 motivators
When you do, you will be more successful, do projects that make you happy, and understand more what kind of people you need to partner with. I have listed the 10 most significant motivational drivers. These can be singular influences or – for most of us, in most situations – these can form a cocktail...
How Great People Make A Great Company
Behind any successful business, you’ll usually find great people. The business I founded nine years ago, Pure SEO, is no exception. I’m constantly in awe of my team—and often wonder how I’m the one (sort of) running the company! So many of our people are passionate, committed and incredibly driven, which is what I attribute...
Luxury Watches
Omega Picks of 2017
Seamaster Planet Ocean Sporting an eye-catching navy blue and burnt orange colourway, “Big Blue” as Omega have nicknamed it, is bold in style, clever in design and grabs attention in a manner vastly different to your standard luxury watches. Omega have springboarded off the success of last year’s Planet Ocean “Deep Black” and have dived deeper...
TAG Heuer Picks of 2017
TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-02T Tourbillon Baguette Diamonds Jack Heuer, great-grandson of founder Edouard Heuer, designed the original Carrera in 1963, inspired by the speed, thrill and edginess in the world of auto-racing. The 2017 Carrera Heuer-02T Tour channels the daredevil bravado of Carrera’s past and injects it with the unabandoned flashiness and swagger of the...
Ulysse Nardin Picks of 2017
Classic Manufacture “Grand Feu” Emphasis on the perfection of finer details showcases a commitment to precision and meticulousness – everything expected from a true upper tier watch. The Ulysse Nardin Classic Manufacture is exemplary in this field with enamel detailing taking centrestage on the dial. Intensive effort goes into achieving the enameling detailing; Ulysse Nardin...
Girard-Perregaux Top Picks of 2017
Laureato Skeleton Girard-Perregaux impresses yet again with the Laureato Skeleton, showcasing a striking transparent design that boldly shows the inner workings of the skillfully crafted Laureato collection. The harmony between interior and exterior is a paramount objective in both architecture and horology, and the Laureato Skeleton displays what happens when the best of two disciplines...
Drink
The Ultimate Whisky Night
A few weeks ago we had a another of our whisky nights with a group of lads from the neighborhood. We call it the Renfrew Whisky Appreciation Society but it is simply an enthusiastic bunch from all walks, including lawyers, accountants, bankers and a couple of project managers, all of whom have a common interest...
Single Minded
It might seem to some like sacrilege to sully a good single malt whisky by turning it into a cocktail. Especially, something like a Glenfiddich’s single malt 12 year whisky. But as these two examples prove, it is quite possible to use the sophisticated flavour profile of this wonderful whisky as an accommodating foundation to...
The Single Malt Whisky Night
Recently a few of us lads in the neighborhood got together and established the Renfrew Whisky Appreciation Society. While it sounds incredibly sophisticated, it’s not. It is a bunch of blokes looking for a good excuse to imbibe good whisky. The concept is simple, it always revolves around Single Malt whisky and entry is by...
New Zealand just got its first saké professional
Our craft beer market has plenty of gurus willing to provide you brews on your journey of beer discovery, but in New Zealand it’s a little tough to find the right person to guide you through your saké experience. Once you get the taste for saké you never go back. Now, Fuminobu (Fumi) Nakatani –...
Authors
The Author To Know: David Lagercrantz
Best-selling author of I am Zlatan Ibrahimovic and 11 other well-known titles, Lagercrantz is a man who wears numerous hats. One moment he is a journalist, the next he is a biographer, the next a ghost-writer, then a novelist. A man of sheer talent and verve. Born in Solna in 1962 to Olof Lagercrantz (a...
Clive Cussler – The Underwater Adventurer
Best-selling author of up to 70 books (and counting), Clive Cussler is a writer with an insanely vivid imagination. Swashbuckling adventures, megalomaniac villains, the electricity of espionage, the excitement of discovering sunken ships…intrigue, action, a snippet of humour – there’s something for every reader in Cussler’s writing. The author of The Mediterranean Caper (1973), Sahara...
Chris Carter – The Hunter And The Hunted
Chris Carter is a crime writer with a long résumé of published works. He is most well-known for his Robert Hunter series of detective novels, which includes An Evil Mind, One By One, The Night Stalker and The Crucifix Killer, all of which have enjoyed big success globally. But dig deeper into his CV, and...
Stephen King – Author Credit
The infamous 1986 horror novel IT will be seen in a different light the movie hits the big screens this September. We hear from the man, Stephen King himself, about what he thinks of the upcoming iteration. When you watch a film based on one of your books, like IT, do you find yourself thinking...
Book Reviews
Book reviews – March 2018
By Tim Lawrence I haven’t read the first two Orphan X novels, but I did read and review another Hurwitz novel last year, Tell No Lies, where I said: “ The story is set in San Francisco, the hero is a rich kid with a tough, wealthy mother; he gives up everything to marry his...
Books: Must Reads For May
The Rising Sea By Clive Cussler Cussler has a number of franchises, this time its the latest from the Numa Files, starring Kurt Austin. A new marine based action thriller, starting off in 1573 to set the scene, then back to theimplications today with our heros and the bad guys. I always look forward to...
The Books To Read
Typhoon Fury Clive Cussler Juan Cabrillo and the corporation are off on another adventure, this time sees them in Asia. A good old fashioned good guy versus the bad guys with the villain being tough and not to be messed with. This is the 9th Oregon files book, those familiar with the series will know...
THREE BOOKS TO READ THIS MONTH
TELL NO LIES Gregg Hurwitz The story is set in San Francisco, the hero is a rich kid with a tough, wealthy mother; he gives up everything to marry his sweetheart and becomes a psychologist who works with ex-prisoners to rehabilitate them. Mother does not approve. It’s a murder mystery with twists and turns and...
M2 May 2018 issue
Who Is Using Your Data?
Zuckerberg: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard Just ask. I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS [Redacted Friend’s Name]: What? How’d you manage that one? Zuckerberg: People just submitted it. I don’t know why. They “trust me”. Zuckerberg: Dumb f**ks. This was an ironically leaked series of messages between...
A Jeepster For Your Love
Back in the early 70’s, the hair was big, the shoes were platformed and the trousers were bell-bottomed wider than Cheshire Cat’s Smile. It was a flamboyant and expressive time where collars were long and the attention span wasn’t. Popular music was Disco and more importantly Glam Rock, with one of the Glamest being Marc...
Books: Must Reads For May
The Rising Sea By Clive Cussler Cussler has a number of franchises, this time its the latest from the Numa Files, starring Kurt Austin. A new marine based action thriller, starting off in 1573 to set the scene, then back to theimplications today with our heros and the bad guys. I always look forward to...
That’s Electric – James Bay
English singer/songwriter James Bay is back with a new haircut, sound and album. Electric Light is set to drop on May 18 and it’s steering away from the acoustic sound he established on his previous record. Bay has ditched the guitar in favor of a more atmospheric sound featuring electronic beats. Drawing inspirations from artists...
M2 April 2018 issue
Closing The Gap: Young Blood To Stir Up Formula 1 In 2018
After surprising everyone including himself last season, Kiwi Brendon Hartley’s taste of Formula 1 action has led to a permanent ride for the Red Bull Toro Rosso in 2018 and a realisation of his potential. Going from Palmerston North to the Principality of Monaco is a rather large jump but for the 28 year old...
Gadgets: Soundcast VG7
A good soundtrack can prove to be the missing ingredient that can enhance an experience. You’ve got the BBQ fired up, the steaks sizzling, brews in hand while the cooing of the Backstreet Boys Foo Fighters rallies the party together. Or maybe you’ve opted for a candlelit dinner for two and have Sade playing softly...
Films To Watch This April
Rampage Billed as ‘Big Meets Bigger’, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson plays a primatologist who befriends a giant silverback gorilla. After a genetic experiment goes wrong (good one, humanity), the gorilla goes ape. Not only that, several species of altered animals begin to run amok across America, and it’s up to the The Rock to restore...
Ferrari 488 Challenge – It’s Big, Really BIG
New Zealand punches above its weight in so many sports, boxing, rugby (of course), cricket, netball, sailing and motorsport to name but a few. However, aside from a particular chosen few, our venues still leave a lot to be desired. We are seldom on the list of must-see stadiums or event centres, but it would...
M2 MARCH 2018 issue
Man on the Street – Eli Matthewson
Age: 29 Occupation: Comedian and writer What’s your morning routine? Press snooze three times and then scroll my phone for at least ten minutes before rushing out of bed to get to work . How do you plan to get the most out of 2018? Read less Trump news, read more happy news. What are...
Book reviews – March 2018
By Tim Lawrence I haven’t read the first two Orphan X novels, but I did read and review another Hurwitz novel last year, Tell No Lies, where I said: “ The story is set in San Francisco, the hero is a rich kid with a tough, wealthy mother; he gives up everything to marry his...
Walk on the Wild Side
Expressionist American photographer, Aaron Siskind once said: ‘Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever…’ We bring you the iconic shots from The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017, developed and produced by the National History Museum, London. Capturing the most magical parts of...
Chaoyang Park Plaza
Inner-city buildings can often be categorised as ‘uninspired’ – giant eyesores, often blocky in nature, they tower in an overshadowing manner, a bit like the Lurch from the Addams Family. Chaoyang Park Plaza, designed by MAD Architects, offers thoughtfulness and a clever aesthetic, very different than many buildings dotted around the Beijing CBD. Taking inspiration...
M2 FEBRUARY 2018 issue
The Films To See – February 2018
Black Panther Across Marvel, DC and whatever other movie studio is daring enough to enter the foray, one thing is certain with every year – there will be a superhero movie. Guaranteed. The thing is, quantity doesn’t necessarily equate to quality, and so it’s totally understandable to lose passion when it’s hard to keep...
Dylan O’Brien – Out Of The Maze
Dylan O’Brien is one of those actors whose performance sticks in your mind days after you’ve seen him on the screen. First introduced to audiences on MTV’s Teen Wolf in 2011, this young screen prodigy has certainly battled it up the ranks to score one of the most coveted roles in Hollywood to date. Maze...
Health News – February 2018
It’s the season of summer sports, so grab your mates and head out to the tennis, races or polo this February. Catwalk Trust Modern medicine is an incredible thing. Smallpox? Eradicated. Heart failure? We can transplant a new one. But there are fields where more research is required and the treatment and cure for Spinal...
Transparent Pods To Solve Future Traffic Jams
We’re lucky that here in New Zealand “gridlock” means that you’re only slightly inconvenienced and might end up at work late an hour or so. In places like China, “gridlock” means that you might end up stuck in traffic for 11 days – seriously, Google it. Traffic and major cities go together like hand in...
M2 JANUARY 2018 issue
The Future Is Here – Uber & NASA team up With UberAIR
Aside from coasting around on conveyor belts or hanging out with Astro the dog, one of the cooler things about The Jetsons was the fact that everybody got around in flying cars. George would pile in his family. You know the drill – his boy Elroy, daughter Judy and Jane his wife. Off they went...
The Benefits Of Comvita Honey
More than just your favourite spread; if you are unaware of the benefits of Manuka Honey, then you have clearly not been listening to us share about it’s health benefits recently. So, those of you listen up, and take notes. In 1974, Comvita® founders Claude Stratford and Alan Bougen believed in the power of nature. Four...
The Remai Modern
Canada’s culture scene has recently welcomed the $95 million dollar modern art museum – the Remai Modern. We were proud to see it fronted by New Zealand CEO Gregory Burke, former CEO of New Plymouth’s Govett‑Brewster and many other prestigious galleries. I caught up with Burke to talk success, design and the challenges he faces with...
Why Most Will Never Become Truly Successful
“It’s lonely at the top. 99% of people are convinced they are incapable of achieving great things, so they aim for mediocre. The level of competition is thus fiercest for ‘realistic’ goals, paradoxically making them the most competitive.” – Tim Ferriss The pull towards mediocrity is too strong. As David Schwartz once penned, “All around...
M2 DECEMBER 2017 issue - Man of the Year issue
Destination Du Jour: QT Museum Wellington
While we do like to explore and travel the world in style, it is important to get to know your own back yard before taking on the rest of the globe. And where better to start than in our capital city, Wellington. The bustling city is known as the most creative city in New Zealand...
The Evolution Of Coach
This year, we were delighted to present the partnership with Coach for our M2 Man of the Year Awards. As a lifestyle magazine that delivers all things luxury with a humbled approach, it was an obvious decision to create an alignment with Coach. It is a brand that pertains to quality craftsmanship, quirky creativity and...
Lexus LC500 Review – The Second Date
First dates can be a nightmare – not the date itself (that’s a different story), I’m talking more about the pressure that surrounds it. It doesn’t help that the date is shrouded in anticipation (I assume from both sides) but if you’re the person organising it – trying to decide on the correct venue, whether...
Review – Headphones That Never Go Flat
The age of never needing to worry about charging ever again is upon us with this handy pair of wireless earbuds developed by former Apple Engineers. That is at least the promise being made by ELWN, a company kickstarting its ELWN FIT Bluetooth Earbuds. Since ELWN earbuds are truly wireless, they run on a battery. However, with...
M2 NOVEMBER 2017 issue
A Litteral Problem- The cold, hard truth about our ‘100% Pure’ New Zealand
The United States has a bit of a bad reputation for not only its consumerism but also the byproducts of that consumerism – rubbish. This criticism probably has some substance, given that the average daily waste production per capita globally is 1.2 kilograms, while Americans produce a wasteful 2.68 kilograms of rubbish a day per person. Given...
Man on the Street – Daniel Cho
Age: 29 Occupation: Business Manager at Carat What is your morning routine? I get up at 6.40ish take my first shower of the day and bus into work for an 8.30 start. Breakfast at work which normally means muesli and yoghurt. What are the top three things on your bucket list? I don’t think I...
Four Movies to Watch out for This November (2017)
Here it is, the final make-or-break for DC. They’ve had some real stinkers on the lead-up to their Avengers knock off, but this is their chance to finally prove themselves. They’re coming off hot from Wonder Woman, which was released earlier this year, and they’re coming out swinging. The movie picks up with the death...
M2 OCTOBER 2017 issue
Thor: Ragnarok
I used to write ordered lists of which Marvel Universe movies you should watch in order to see whichever is the latest Avengers film to come out. But now that the cinematic universe contains 17 movies, I’ve sort of given up on that. But if you do want at least a modicum of back story, then...
The Mazda SKI-ACTIV Experience
I vividly remember the first time I actually put skis on and hit (quite literally) the snow. I was in my late teens and full of bravado; I headed to the top of the chairlift, strapped on two planks of wood and shot down the slope – straight into a tree. The sensation was both...
The Sky is the Limit
After the recent Release of their hit singles ‘Run’ and ‘the sky is a neighbourhood’, We had a chance to sit down and talk with the Foo Fighters lead guitarist, Chris Shiflett, about the new album concrete and gold. From the challenges of balacing his family life, to the highlights of his career, we give...
Movies To Watch Out For In October 2017
Thor: Ragnarok I used to write ordered lists of which Marvel Universe movies you should watch in order to see whatever the latest Avengers film to come out. But now that the cinematic universe now contains 17 movies I’ve sort of given up on that. But if you do want at least a modicum of...
M2 SEPTEMBER 2017 issue
12 Ways to Prevent Prostate Cancer
With an annual death toll numbering some 500 men, prostate cancer claims more lives than the road toll. Not only is it the most common type of cancer found in men with more than 2,500 new diagnoses each year, it is also the third most common cancer contributing to premature death among males. To address...
OPPO Brings the A77 and A57 To NZ
OPPO has pulled out all the stops on the cameras for their two new phones, released today. The A77 and the A57 are new flagship-level devices with the best selfie front camera. The A77 features a 16MP selfie camera and an Ultra-HD mode which allows users to capture 50 MP images. The A77 also has...
New to Watch From Watch Me
Just Be Cool Flava hosts Daz and Ast have a slight problem on their hands; After a rather large, successful promotion that has sold out a debut gig featuring Buck Nasty and his smash hit “Just Be Cool”, Daz and Ast are the flavour of the moment. Unfortunately they are missing one important element –...
Made to Measure
Known for their meticulous attention to detail, creative flair and with famed designer Alessandro Sartori at the helm, Ermenegildo Zegna’s reputation for producing elite made to measure suits is second to none. We recently invited a select group of M2 readers along to Ermenegildo Zegna’s flagship store to check out their made to measure service....
M2 AUGUST 2017 issue
The Shape Shifter – Matthew McConaughey In the Dark Tower
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed”. Back in 1978, with these tantalising words, a young man called Stephen King began an epic narrative that is still unfolding to this very day. King would go on to become one of the best-selling popular novelists in the world, a modern-day Charles...
Dua Lipa is ‘hotter than hell’
Dua Lipa is hitting all the right notes with her debut eponymous album and she’s definitely got our attention. The 20-year-old British pop singer has gained a spot on BBC’s coveted Sound Of 2016 list and is racking up a fair few views on Youtube her smash hit “Be the One”, currently sitting at a...
Wheels News – August 2017
Aston Martin Go ahead, drool, as Aston Martin reveals more ‘Valkyrie’ secrets.Rightfully there is a thirst for more knowledge about the Aston Martin Valkyrie – so here’s what we know so far. The Hypercar is powered by a 6.5L V12 (and some electric wizardry) that will produce 1000hp. Two massive Venturi tunnels feed the rear...
Three Types of Texas
Weightlessness, emptiness and feeling so miniscule compared to the giant world that I stare back at, there is a thick silence and all I can hear is my own breath and the mechanical sounds created from my spacesuit… “The Eagle has landed” … goose bumps cover my body from head to toe and my daydreaming thoughts...
M2 JULY 2017 issue
The Rich List
We chat to Josh McKenzie, star of New Zealand’s very own Filthy Rich, which is returning for its anticipated second season. From fitness to charity work, we find out what makes Joshua tick. So you are back for a second season of Filthy Rich, how did you feel when you heard that this second season had been...
Disrupting Disruption – The Race to Create the Tools of Innovation
Right now Silicon Valley is churning out disruptive business models left right and centre. But perhaps the biggest isn’t the Internet of Things and Uber. What I’m referring to is the bedrock on which all these amazing things are built. It’s something that is powering some of the biggest applications in the world, pulling in...
The New Kid On The Block
When it comes to getting your groom on, the trim is something you want to leave to the professionals, and if your usual stylist is busy or you’re just ready to try a new, stylish salon, The Cut is ready for you, offering only the essentials, and when you need it. The new kid on...
5 Tips to Staying Focused and productive
Following Queen’s Birthday Weekend, there’s a distinct shortage of public holidays for a while; there’s a long, wintry period all the way to Labour Weekend, which can feel like forever. So how do you keep yourself focused, fresh and productive through this time? I’ve put together a few of my top tips for staying sharp....
M2 JUNE 2017 issue
The Art of Great Taste
Australia’s oldest family-owned winery has put its years of experience and wine pioneering expertise to good use with the exceptional and rare new wine, the 2012 Yalumba The Caley Cabernet & Shiraz. Under a moonlit sky, 168 years ago, Yalumba winemakers planted their first vines. Now, as the only Australian winery to have its own...
4 Ways To Sleep Better
Sleep is that time in your life where you go into a short-term coma and escape the horrors of life. It keeps you at the top of your game and gives you time to sort through the challenges of the day. However, it’s delicate and the smallest thing can ruin your sleep. Of course there’s...
Sport – June 2017
FORMULA ONE, POST BERNIE It may still be the same old picture in the Constructors’ Championship, but reigning champion Nico Rosberg’s replacement, Valtteri Bottas has stepped up to challenge team mate and enfant terrible, Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes’ new boy claimed the recent Russian Grand Prix, while Ferrari’s resurgence has seen Sebastian Vettel as a fixture...
Simple Pleasures – The new CX-5 Launch
Let’s face it, modern everyday life can be pretty busy. Between the necessity of work and the demands that come with family and friends, there seems to be so much pressure to do things. Time appears to be going by so fast (even speeding up) and very little of it is spent metaphorically speaking ‘silently...
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